Summer is a great time to try something new, and to stretch yourself a bit with a challenge. The internet is awash with reading lists; but with so many choices, how can you pick?
If you are looking for a way to fill your summer with stories, we have a few we think will provide fun and accessible options for readers of all ages. Although some of these challenges may be designed for a full year (or even a lifetime), we can help you set a goal that can be achieved before Labor Day.
Make your summer reading adventure even more fun by tracking your reading in your 62 Days of Summer Field notebook. You can make a checklist, design a fun bingo sheet, make a point-tracking system to give yourself rewards, or write a detailed book review for each title you read. Don’t forget to stop by the library and get pom poms for your reading so you can fill our community pom pom case.
Here are some themes to inspire adventurous reading this summer.
Banned Books
Celebrate the right to read, fight censorship and support the freedom to seek and express ideas by reading books that have been challenged in schools and libraries, as collected in Read These Banned Books or Banned Books for Kids.
To learn more about banned and challenged books, and for up-to-date lists, check out the American Library Association’s Banned and Challenged Books page.
Book-to-Movie
Which was better: the book or the movie? Was it a book series turned into a 2-hour movie or a movie franchise? What made the book so good that it was adapted to the big screen? Read it yourself to find out. The Libby Life blog has a list of The top books becoming movies & TV series in 2024. While not a true reading challenge, there’s something for every age group. Best of all, you can check out all the titles in the Libby app with your library card.
Diverse Authors
Experience cultures other than your own and learn about different people, places and perspectives. Try the Diverse Reading Challenge from StoryGraph and see what books other readers have explored for this challenge.
The Classics
Remember those required readings that you never paid attention to in school, but probably should have? That list you think you should read, but just haven’t gotten to because there are so many more interesting things? Tea and Ink Society’s 2024 Classics Reading Challenge is just the thing to help you finally become a well-rounded reader of "the classics."
Award Winners
Whether it’s the American Library Association’s 52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read or The Newbery Challenge, reading any number of award winners is sure to enrich your life and give you lots to think about and discuss.
Long Reads
Instead of trying to tackle a lot of books, how about taking on a couple of long reads or a book series?
Maybe it’s finally time to read War and Peace or the Court of Thorns and Roses series. Brightly has a Chapter Book Champions challenge designed to make longer reads more accessible to kids. Although the original challenge launched in 2017, anyone can adapt it to meet the needs of the young readers in their life.
Traditional
You can never go wrong with a good old-fashioned “traditional” reading challenge. You can set simple goals like reading a certain amount of time per day, number of pages/chapters per day or books per week. Regardless of the challenge you’ve set for yourself, make sure to have fun when you’re reading a good book.
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